Amador County – Jackson Vice Mayor Keith Sweet urged people Thursday to save a date next Tuesday for the Amador County Board of Supervisors’ hearing on an appeal of the County Planning Commission’s variance approval for McDonald’s Restaurant, which would allow it to remodel its Martell restaurant without following its original 1992 conditions of approval.

Sweet and eight other county residents jointly filed the appeal of the McDonald’s decision by the Planning Commission, and said in an email to TSPN that he urged people to “please come to the hearing and speak up if you can. Meanwhile, we urge you to talk to, call or write your county supervisor, discuss this issue with your friends and neighbors, and support maintaining Amador’s beauty, value and history.”

Sweet said “all over the country, McDonald’s has built restaurants that fit a community’s historic architecture and unique character. We want them to do that here, too. The least we can do is make sure the 1992 condition on color and materials (Condition 19) stays in place.”

Sweet was joined in the appeal by Mayor Tim Murphy, whose Sutter Creek City Council supported the appeal with a resolution and a letter. The appeal was jointly filed by nine residents, including Sweet and his wife, and former County Planning Commissioner Brian Jobson, who was on the commission when Mcdonald’s originally went in, in 1992.

Sweet, who abstained from his Council’s vote to approve the letter, said the conditions of approval were very progressive at the time. Also in the appeal are Susan Jobson; Keith and Gail Sweet; Tim and Jill Murphy; Renee Chapman; John Luy; Martin Gates; Paul and Kathy Hansch; and Sandi Baracco.

In the letter, Sweet said “in September, McDonald’s persuaded the Amador County Planning Commission to remove the 1992 use permit condition for the Martell McDonald’s that requires the building exterior to use neutral, earth-tone colors and wood, stone or real brick.”

Sweet said that “allows McDonald’s to remodel the Martell outlet to have the boxy, white plastic ‘big box’ look of McDonald’s in Anywhere, USA.” He said “local citizens appealed that decision to the Board of Supervisors and are involved in discussions with McDonald’s regarding an alternative design that better fits our community.”

Sweet requested his Jackson City Council support of the appeal in the form of a letter, which was approved Oct. 11, though not in as strongly worded language as a similar support letter by Sutter Creek City Council.

The Amador County Board of Supervisors will hear the appeal of the Planning Commission decision at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, or soon after that time.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.